Birthday Girl
by DKM
Summary: Just because it's her birthday doesn't mean he's allowed to treat her like this. Until she realizes why he does it.


**_Birthday Girl_**

Synopsis: Just because it's her birthday doesn't mean he's allowed to treat her like this. Until she realizes why he does it.

Rating: T

Pairing: Oliver & Felicity

Characters: Oliver, Felicity & Diggle

Season/Episode: Future fic

Category: Angst & Fluff

Disclaimer: (the usual, don't own, idea was mine though)

* * *

"So, what were you thinking about doing tonight?" It was a question Felicity Smoak had been trying to avoid all day. Just because today was her birthday didn't mean she wanted to go all out and get completely wasted. Okay, well, maybe it did, but having her friends constantly ask her what she wanted to do just irritated her.

"I told you, I want no part in planning this," Felicity said as she turned to her friend Marissa Cavalli from accounting as they sat outside in the warm late afternoon sun eating their overly indulgent double cheeseburgers with extra cheese and sipping chocolate milkshakes. Dinner had been on Marissa as part of Felicity's birthday gift. The rest would be loads of alcoholic beverages and shots throughout the night.

"Then you're okay with going to Verdant?" Marissa hopefully asked only to find that glaring look on Felicity's face telling her to drop it.

"For the last time, Oliver Queen's club is _not_ happening." Just the thought of accidentally bumping into her boss piss drunk made Felicity's stomach churn. She'd said and done some pretty stupid things around him as it was. Only God knew what would happen when she was wasted. She shuddered at the thought. Just as she was about to give her two cents in the party matter, the phone in her purse began to ring. Fall Out Boy's "My Song Knows What You Did In The Dark" startled her as she swore under her breath.

"Speaking of the devil…" Felicity excused herself from the small patio table and walked out of earshot of her friend before picking up.

"How fast can you get to the Glades?" Oliver's tone was rushed.

Immediately Felicity knew tonight was going to be another cancellation in order to help fight crime. Life as part of the Arrow's team never meshed well with life in general. Pushing her glasses up as she pinched the bridge of her nose with her fingers to stave off the headache that had suddenly come on, Felicity replied, "I don't know, half an hour maybe? I'm out to dinner."

"You've got twenty minutes," he ordered.

"Are you kidding me? I'm still downtown!" she shot back.

"Now, Felicity!" Oliver growled before hanging up on her.

Stomping her cream high heeled foot against the sidewalk, Felicity took a moment to regain her composure. It would have been perfectly fine had Oliver been a little more polite, but that was ridiculous. "Jeez, what crawled up his butt and died?" she muttered, walking back onto the patio and flopping into her seat.

Marissa gave her a quizzical look before asking, "Who was that?"

"Work," Felicity grumbled as she threw her phone back into her purse.

"Let me guess, you have to cancel tonight?" Marissa rolled her eyes.

"Yep!" came Felicity's overly sarcastic retort as she packed up the rest of her things and threw her cardigan over her shoulders.

"Oh, come on, Felicity! That's not fair! It's your birthday! You should at least get the night off!" Marissa whined even though they both knew being Oliver Queen's executive assistant didn't afford her that much time off anymore. At least they'd gotten to share a meal this evening. It was more than they'd had in the past month.

"Well, that's what happens when you work for Oliver Queen, it seems." With an exasperated sigh, Felicity stood up again, grabbing one more fry and stuffing it in her mouth before adding, "I'd better go." She reached over and gave Marissa a big hug. "Thank you for dinner. Hopefully we can get this birthday thing rescheduled for some time later this week?"

"Yeah, I'll let you know," Marissa said with a slightly dejected tone to her voice.

Felicity rushed back to her car and sped off towards the club with every intention of giving Oliver a piece of her mind that night. As luck would have it, he'd already left by the time she got there. Huffing past Diggle, she slammed her purse on her desk and flopped down in her chair.

"Angry?" he asked, keeping his distance.

"Just a little," Felicity sardonically answered. "What the hell is Oliver's problem tonight anyway? Of all the times he had to bring me in, the least he could have done was give me my birthday off! Actually, no, the least he could have done was acknowledge it was my birthday in the first place! A simple 'Happy birthday, Felicity' would have worked just fine. But he's a guy and these are the types of things guys forget." She glanced over at Diggle and added, "No offense."

"None taken."

"By the way, thank you for the text this morning. I'm glad _someone _in this place remembered."

"You're welcome."

"So, do you know why he called me out of my birthday dinner?" Felicity quickly changed the topic as she swiveled around in her chair and turned towards the bank of computers in front of her.

"Serial killer's been terrorizing the Glades," Diggle answered matter-of-factly before he came to stand beside her. "Apparently he's kidnapped another victim. I started what I could, but you're much better at this."

"Of all the missions I've worked on, these are still my least favorite," Felicity said as she turned her attention to the monitors in front of her. She quickly logged into the mainframe and pulled up Oliver's location before giving him a call. It allowed her some time to calm down before she was forced to deal with him.

"You're late," were the first words out of Oliver's mouth when he answered his phone.

"And you're being a dick, so why don't we just get down to business?" Felicity volleyed. "Why am I here?"

"I need you to give me information on this address." He proceeded to rattle off a series of numbers along with a street.

"Really? That's all you needed me for?" The tone of her voice went up an octave as the frustration returned. "To be your personal GPS? You pulled me away from dinner with my best friend just so you wouldn't have to pull up a map all by yourself?"

"I'm not done yet!" Oliver practically yelled into her ear. Felicity nearly jumped off her seat, slightly caught off guard by his anger. There seemed to be something about this mission that had him riled up. "I need to know the layout, especially if there are any hidden rooms I should be looking out for, and the name of the person who owns the place."

"Ooh-kay." Several taps on the keyboard brought Felicity up to the information Oliver had been looking for. She relayed the blueprints to him in an email along with the title holder's name and anyone else associated with the building. After hanging up with him, she sat back in her chair and rubbed the bridge of her nose with her fingers. The headache that had been building was now a full blown migraine.

Felicity understood where the tension was coming from. Oliver hated to lose, especially if someone's life was on the line. But sometimes he took things a bit too far. Tonight was one of those times. As much as she didn't want to be mad at him for acting the way he had, it still made her angry that he thought he could get away with treating her like a child. She thought they had gotten past that after his second stint on the island. But there it was, the one ugly side to an otherwise beautiful man.

With a deep sigh, Felicity returned to her monitors and began doing an internet search regarding the man whose name was on the title of the property. If she could dig up some more information on this guy, then maybe it would help Oliver find their target and hostage faster, putting him at ease. At least that's what she hoped.

Although spending her birthday helping her boss catch a serial killer wasn't what Felicity had in mind for her night, she was glad they managed to find the guy and send him off to jail before he killed his victim. Felicity sighed in relief as she began shutting down her monitors. It had been a long night, and she wasn't about to wait for Oliver to get back. She just wanted to go home and curl up in bed with several episodes of Fringe queued up as a way to decompress.

It was well past midnight when Felicity finally made it to her apartment. Too tired to change into pajamas, she flopped down on the ancient beige futon in her small living room and turned on the TV to catch the last few minutes of Jimmy Fallon. She let her hair down and kicked off her shoes and was just about to put her feet up on the coffee table when a soft knock echoed off her door.

"Who the hell is it at this hour?" Felicity grumbled as she eased herself off the cushions. One name came to mind, but it was so far off the wall that she didn't even bother thinking it. Glancing out the peephole before answering, she found herself shocked by who stood outside. Oliver Queen, dressed simply in stone washed jeans and a black leather biker jacket with a gray t-shirt beneath, stood waiting in the hallway.

"Just a minute!" Felicity yelled, frantically putting her hair back into a ponytail then making sure there were no errant strands sticking out in odd angles.

This late night visit from her boss was rather unexpected. Actually, it was downright strange. He'd never been to her place, but then again he was Starling City's green hooded vigilante with access to anything and everything under the sun and he was her boss-slash-CEO of Queen Consolidated. Of course he knew where she lived; it was in her damn employee file.

After getting her breath under control, Felicity finally pulled the door open. "Oliver! What an… unexpected surprise." She couldn't keep the sarcasm out of her voice as she leaned against the doorframe not allowing him to enter. Yes, she was still angry about tonight, but it had nothing to do with the fact that she needed to reschedule her birthday plans. It was the simple fact that he hadn't even acknowledged it was her birthday because, after all, that was in her employee file as well, probably right next to her address.

"I came here to… apologize," Oliver said, his tone uncharacteristically soft as he ran a hand through his short cropped hair.

"For what, making me leave my dinner with Marissa early? Yelling at me like I was a child? Forgetting it was my birthday? Being an asshat in general? Take your pick." She wasn't holding anything back, that was for sure. She'd bit her tongue long enough. He needed to know he'd hurt her that evening, and if it meant pouring her heart out in an angry triad, then so be it. She was done beating around the bush with him.

"Felicity…" The way her name rolled off his tongue made her stop in her tracks. All she could do was look at him with beseeching eyes, waiting for an explanation for what happened tonight, for why he'd acted like such an ass. When his eyes finally settled on hers, Felicity felt as if she needed to take a step back. Those crystal blue pools said everything his mouth couldn't.

_I'm sorry, Felicity. I need you, Felicity. Please don't hate me, Felicity._ "I apologize for acting like a dick tonight," Oliver finally said aloud. "I know it was your birthday and I know that I shouldn't have pulled you away from your plans for the evening, but I hope you can forgive me."

"I don't know," she slowly replied. "I mean, you did yell at me and you kinda ruined my plans, not to mention it hurt my feelings that you forgot to even wish my a happy birthday." She was guilt tripping him and they both knew it, but Oliver didn't say a word to the contrary. His head hung low as he stared down at his boots, his arms behind his back.

"Will this help?" he asked, bringing a simple brown paper bag into her view.

Felicity eyed it carefully. "Depends on what's inside," she answered and waited for him to open it. She was surprised when he pulled out a pint of mint chip ice cream.

"Your favorite, right?"

With a smile and a shake of her head, Felicity pushed off the doorframe and finally allowed him to enter her apartment. This would be the first time Oliver Queen had ever been in her space. She'd always found herself in his: at the office, the lair, the mansion… But her apartment was new territory, something he obviously needed to make himself comfortable with before stepping inside and taking off his shoes.

His eyes scanned the room for several long moments, taking in everything from her ancient futon to all the high tech gadgets that sat on her desk and coffee table. "I've never really cared about furniture," Felicity said when his eyes settled on the futon and his head cocked to the side as he seemingly glared at it. "I know it's probably not up to snuff with what you got at home, but I like it and it's my place, so…"

Felicity's voice trailed off when Oliver finally kicked off his shoes. Grabbing the ice cream and paper bag from his hand and heading to the kitchen to get a couple of spoons, he was able to take off his jacket and throw it over the back of one of her two dining room chairs. She was already rushing back into the living room, ice cream and two spoons in hand when he finally ambled towards her ugly couch.

When he sat down and sighed as he sank into the seat, Felicity said, "It's a lot more comfortable than you thought, isn't it? Looks can be deceiving." Prying the lid off the ice cream container, she handed Oliver a spoon and dug in. They sat in silence as they scooped spoonfuls of the cold, sugary confection while the low volume of the TV provided background noise.

A few stolen glances told Felicity he was still feeling rather awful about what he'd done that night. Oliver reminded her of an overgrown child that still had temper tantrums, only now he realized what he'd done wrong and was doing his best to try and rectify the situation. The ice cream had been a nice peace offering, but he still looked rather dour as he sat at the other end of the couch staring blankly at the container she held in her hands.

"What's on your mind?" Felicity finally asked after having stared at him for a solid minute without Oliver even acknowledging it. He was usually rather perceptive when it came to that kind of stuff, so that's what tipped her off that something was weighing on his mind that he hadn't been able to talk about earlier.

"Huh?" came his startled response. It was one thing to know Oliver was deep in thought, it was another to catch him off guard while he was thinking. His sharp blue eyes snapped up and held onto hers. She could see the storm brewing inside those aquamarine pools, the darkness and the heaviness that settled there as he stared at her. Something was wrong; something he was obviously fighting himself to reveal.

"Hey, is everything okay?" Felicity inched closer, her spoon left sitting in the ice cream container along with his as she set it down on the coffee table. His gaze fell to his lap where his hands were clasped tightly in front of him. Hesitantly, she reached out, her fingers coming to rest over his forearm. It flexed for a moment before the tension eased, but his eyes remained on his hands.

"Talk to me, Oliver," she practically begged, scooting closer as her fingers squeezed his arm. "I know we've had a rough night, but it's okay now. You're forgiven if that's what you're worried about."

"It's not," he quietly replied then sighed deeply.

"Then what is it?"

When he looked up at her again, Felicity could see the anguish in his eyes. It bit into her soul and suddenly all she wanted to do was wrap him in a warm hug and never let go. She hated it when Oliver found himself in one of those moods. It broke her heart to see him hurting. He'd already been through so much in the last seven years. He deserved a respite from the life he lived, but he wouldn't allow it.

Trailing her fingers down his arm, she pried one of his hands free from his grasp and wrapped hers around it. A gentle squeeze and Oliver was suddenly speaking, his voice low and rough with years of pent up emotions he'd never allowed himself to express until that moment. "For the last seven years, I haven't had a birthday. Five years on the island and then the last two years…" His voice trailed off.

She did the math in her head. Oliver was born on the sixteenth of May. It was a good seven months away, but then the numbers started to fall into place and Felicity let out a gasp. "Oh, god," she whispered, her other hand falling across her mouth before she said another word. The Undertaken had fallen on the day before his birthday. His best friend had been declared dead on his birthday.

Felicity immediately gazed up at him to find his eyes glassy and distant. Here she was making a big stink about her own birthday while he silently wallowed in agony over what his now stood for. Before she even realized she was even doing it, Felicity's arms banded around Oliver's waist, pulling him in for a hug she hoped would help ease his troubled mind.

She could feel the tension in his shoulder as her head fell against it. "I'm sorry," Felicity whispered into his ear. "I shouldn't have been such a pain in the ass about my birthday. It was so insensitive considering what you've been through and I shouldn't have..." Her thoughts trailed off when his head whipped around to stare at her.

The look of agony had been replaced by steely determination. "Felicity," he said in that low voice that made her stomach flip just a little. "That was no excuse to treat you like shit on your birthday. I never should have taken it out on you. And you should be mad at me for being such an ass. It was uncalled for and very petty of me."

She held him a little tighter, her arms tightening around his waist as she buried her face in the shoulder of his t-shirt. "I forgive you, Oliver," she murmured into it.

"But you shouldn't," he argued. "You should be angry with me and hate me and…"

It was Felicity's turn to stare at him with steely determination as she pulled herself away took his face in her hands. "I can't hate you," she said, her thumbs tracing over his cheeks. Oliver closed his eyes and sighed heavily. He looked so tired in that moment, as if he truly was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders and no matter what she said, it wouldn't lessen his burden. It didn't mean she wouldn't try.

"For the last seven years, all you've been through has been hell. You're still trying to make sense of life, and you're bound to make mistakes or slip up here and there. Although I might not understand what you're going through," Felicity said, "I want you to remember that I'm here for you and that you can count on me to be your friend even when you're at your lowest. I might be mad at you for a little while when you screw something up, but that doesn't mean I won't forgive you. I always will. That's what real friends do."

She watched as his eyes fluttered open and that intense blue gaze blazed into her like fire. It sent the butterflies in her stomach fluttering about, bouncing to and fro as the beat of her heart rapidly increased. Then he let out a shuddering breath and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her into a tight hug. Her arms fell around his neck, small hands running up and down the ridges along his spine before one settled in his hair, combing through it gently, while the other came to rest between his shoulder blades.

They stayed like that for several long moments, her fingers carding through his hair and his head nestled in the crook of her neck. Oliver clung to her tight. She could still feel the tension in his muscles as her hand ran up and down his back. There was something he was still holding onto, something he was refusing to let go. Felicity pulled away, the hand she had on his back coming up to cup his chin.

"What's wrong, Oliver?" she whispered, her eyes searching his for answers before he could speak them.

"I don't deserve you," he muttered, his gaze falling to his lap. "I've put you through so much these last couple of years that you never should have gone through. Yet, you're still here and you're still the most amazing person I know. I just… I can't figure out why you choose to stay, why you're still my friend."

"Because…" She was about to put her two cents in, but he silenced her with a simple, pleading look that had her mouth snapping shut.

"No, please, just listen," Oliver begged, his hands grabbing fistfuls of her cream button down shirt at her waist as if to try and anchor himself. "I look at you and I see someone who's been there for me more times than I can count. I see someone who's saved my life, and not just literally. I see someone who I can truly call my best friend. But then I think about Tommy…" His voice cracked at the mention of his late friend's name and Felicity could see the tears welling in his eyes. "I think about who we were before the island and how much trouble we got into and how he always had my back."

Oliver paused for a moment, letting out a shaky breath as he gathered his thoughts. "I thought we could pick up where we left off before I got on that boat, but things changed… He changed. I mean, he was still my friend and we had a lot of good times together after I got back, but the night he found out who I really was… I could see it in his eyes… He wanted nothing to do with me."

The pain Felicity saw in his eyes was enough to make tears spring from her own. But she didn't dare let them fall. Oliver was pouring his heart out at that moment. If anything, she needed to be strong for him, so she steeled herself for whatever else he had to say by stroking her fingers beneath his eyes to wipe away the moisture that gathered there.

There were so few times she'd ever seen him cry. The last time was a good nine months ago when he'd revealed some painful things about the island. Felicity had listened to him then, offering what little comfort she could, but the pain had been etched on his face, burning his eyes with tears he had trouble simultaneously holding back and releasing.

Tonight was much the same, only now they were alone in the safety of her apartment as rain began to pitter-patter against her windows from outside. She held Oliver close, trying her best to keep the pity from her expression as he stared up at her so brokenly that it was ripping her heart in two. What she wouldn't give to take away some of that pain and replace it with happiness right then.

Oliver swallowed thickly and continued, "With you, it's the exact opposite. The moment you found out who I was, you didn't see me as broken or damaged. You didn't see me as a murderer. You… you saw something else in me… something I wasn't expecting. You saw who I could be. It didn't make sense at the time because I wasn't expecting to live through my crusade, but the longer you stayed, the more faith you put in me, I don't know… I think I started to want to become the person you saw in me."

His hands flexed against her sides, drawing Felicity closer as she swiped her thumbs under his eyes once more to wipe away the tears that now came unbidden. She really didn't know what to say, but her heart began to swell with pride at seeing Oliver finally realize the potential she'd always seen in him. She wanted to cry now, too, but refused to do so. Instead, a soft smile graced her face as she gazed at him through watery eyes.

One of Oliver's hands untangled itself from the death grip he had on her shirt and reached up, thumb brushing just beneath her lip and tugging it from where she'd unwittingly sucked it between her teeth. "I've never had anyone believe in me like you've believed in me," he rasped, voice thick with emotions. "Honestly, I didn't think it was possible. After what happened with Tommy, I didn't think I deserved it. I never got to explain or apologize or anything. And the fact that he died on my birthday, I took it as a sign that I was meant to live a miserable existence."

Felicity's smile fell instantly. "Oh, Oliver," she breathed, both her hands cupping his cheeks as she tried to wipe away the river of tears that ran down his face. "Please don't say that," she begged, unable to hold back her own tears any longer. "I know I never told you this, but that night, you left your comm on and I heard everything that happened between you and Tommy. When he thanked you, I don't think it had anything to do with not killing his father. I think it had everything to do with you being his friend all those years.

"I know if it was me in his shoes…" Oliver made a move to cover her mouth with his fingers, his eyes shutting tight as he shook his head trying to get her to stop, but she carried on, grabbing his wrist and giving it a light squeeze. "If it was me in his shoes," Felicity continued with conviction, "I would have done the same, because that's what friends do. If someone's a true friend, they don't hold grudges. They forgive you and they move on. It's that simple. He was forgiving you and telling you it was okay to move on, even without him."

He stared up at her, that shattered look in his eyes so prevalent it sliced right into her soul. Oliver was hurting so much at that moment and it seemed as if her bid to make him feel better had backfired. But then he was wrapping his arms around her again, pulling Felicity into his lap as he buried his face in the fabric of her shirt. Her fingers sank into the short strands of his hair, holding him as he cried against her, his shoulders shaking for well over half an hour. She knew he'd needed this; this release of emotions he'd been holding onto for almost two years now.

For so long, Oliver had been beating himself up over Tommy's death. Felicity was only just beginning to understand how much it had truly affected him. To be honest, the two years they'd spent getting to know each other made her realize she'd probably feel the same way if anything happened to him. He and Diggle were the closest thing she had to family at that moment. If anything ever happened to either one of them, the devastation it would cause in her life would be immeasurable.

Still holding onto Oliver, she rocked him back and forth in a gentle and comforting fashion until his shoulders stopped shaking and he was only sniffling into her chest. His fingers still clung to her shirt, fisting handfuls of the material until it rode up exposing her back to the cool air wafting in from the window she kept open a crack to keep her AC costs down at night.

Felicity couldn't be angry at him for ruining her birthday. He'd just given her the most amazing gift she'd ever received in her life: being the one person Oliver Queen turned to when life got too hard to handle. It was a gift because no one, not Diggle, not Roy, not even Sara got to see him like this, in the most raw and honest of states. His heart was on his sleeve, and he trusted her to take care of it while it was exposed and vulnerable.

And she did. She held it in her hands, right next to hers, caring for it as if it were her own. Felicity vowed to never hurt him intentionally, knowing just how fragile his heart was. The lightest of touches could send it shattering, and that was the last thing she wanted to have happen to Oliver. He was already on the brink as it was, teetering between two lives that were becoming harder and harder to balance as the days wore on. If this was all she could do to keep him from falling, then she'd gladly take up her post as sentry to his heart.

When Oliver finally pulled away, his fingers untangling from her shirt then smoothing it out across her back, her hands returned to his face. They gently cupped his jaw as her thumbs brushed along his cheeks to wipe away the remnants of his tears. "Do you feel better now?" Felicity asked softly as the ghost of a smile found its way to her lips.

"Yeah." Oliver nodded his head. He gazed down at his lap then and murmured, "I'm sorry…"

"No," she quickly interjected. "No apologies tonight. If there's only one wish I get to make for my birthday, it's that you stop apologizing for things you shouldn't even have to apologize for. This," she said, point to the damp spot on her shirt where he'd rested his head and wept, "needing a shoulder to cry on when life hands you lemons, is definitely not one of those things. You're my friend, Oliver. It doesn't matter what day of the year it is, or if it's a special occasion, or whatever, I will be here for you, ready and willing to listen. Okay?"

His eyes drifted back to hers and he held her gaze for several moments before finally replying, "Okay." The faintest smile appeared on his lips and he added, "Felicity…"

She cocked her head to the side, "Yeah?"

"Thank you," Oliver breathed. His arms banded around her waist again, pulling Felicity into a tight hug as he let out a deep, shuddering breath. "You truly are remarkable."

"I'm just doing my job," she said. "My boss can be a hardass sometimes."

That got a stronger smile from him. "Well, he really wants to make it up to you somehow," Oliver replied. "Name it and it's yours."

Felicity mulled it over for a moment. Those cute Christian Louboutin pumps she'd tried on at Saks the previous week had been calling her name, but she decided against asking for them. "You know what? I think our friendship is more than enough," she finally answered with a soft smile.

He returned it before a yawn suddenly overtook his body. A quick glance at the clock on her microwave told Felicity it was almost three in the morning. Realizing she was still sitting on top of Oliver's lap, she quickly scrambled off. "You're probably exhausted," Felicity said as she scurried towards the hallway closet between her room and the bathroom. "Why don't you stay on my couch tonight? I don't want you driving home this late."

Grabbing a blanket and pillow, she returned to the living room and handed them to Oliver. The half melted ice cream on the coffee table was put away as he settled in for the night. Spoons were rinsed and thrown haphazardly into the dishwasher before Felicity exited the kitchen.

As she made her way to her bedroom, she heard Oliver call out to her. "Hey, Felicity…"

"Yeah?" she replied, turning to face him. He was still sitting up on the couch, but there was a soft smile spread out across his lips.

"Happy birthday," he said.

Felicity grinned as the butterflies returned in full force. "Thank you."

Too exhausted to change out of her clothes, she flopped down into her bed and simply fell asleep where she'd dropped. When her alarm went off that morning, Felicity saw it was far later than she usually set it. Her wake up time was six, but her alarm had gone off at eight. Then she realized there was a blanket tucked around her and her glasses had been taken off her face and placed on her nightstand.

Felicity quickly got up and made her way into the living room. It was empty, and her heart sank a little when she realized Oliver was gone, but the extra blanket was neatly folded up on the couch with the pillow laying on top of it. What grabbed her attention was the little yellow post-it note placed on the coffee table across from it. She made her way over and plucked it off the battered hardwood.

_Thank you for last night. Take the morning off. You deserve it._

_-Oliver_

She smiled. Although she didn't intend on taking the whole morning off, Felicity did take her time getting ready. She took a long, hot shower, did her hair and makeup, then picked out an outfit consisting of a charcoal grey pencil skirt and an emerald green silk blouse. It was paired with her favorite black strappy heels before she grabbed a quick breakfast in her kitchen and headed to work.

It was a little past nine when she stepped into the office. She half expected Oliver to also have gone home and slept in that morning, but he was at his desk focused intently on something that required a lot of writing. Diggle was at his usual post by the door and she gave him a quick nod and smile before stepping through the glass entryway.

"Good morning," Felicity practically sang.

"Someone's in a good mood," he observed sounding somewhat amused. "Did you go out with your girls last night?"

"Actually, no," she answered. "I… spent it with a good friend." Her eyes immediately snapped towards Oliver as another, more subtle smile graced her bright magenta lips. She could hear Diggle chuckle under his breath and turned a confused gaze to him. "What's so funny?" Felicity asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Nothing," Diggle replied, unable to wipe the smirk off his face.

She simply rolled her eyes and walked past him to her desk. What greeted her when she got there made her breath catch. It wasn't the gigantic chocolate mint cupcake with the candle on top that got her attention. Nor was it the the large cup of coffee from her favorite cafe. It was the medium sized box wrapped in metallic purple and green striped wrapping paper with the large purple bow that had her jaw dropping as she stepped up to it. There was a card with her name on it taped to the top.

Ripping open the metallic purple envelope, Felicity discovered a beautiful handmade card inside. The cardstock was the same metallic purple as the envelope, embossed with a delicate flower pattern that looked to be highlighted in white ink by hand. "Happy Birthday" was inscribed in black with large elegant script at the bottom right corner. Opening the card, she realized the note inside had also been written by hand, but it wasn't the same person who'd created the front.

It was Oliver's handwriting. She knew it like the back of her hand from having to read and transcribe all his notes. Reading his heartfelt words brought tears to her eyes as she stood there, the smile on her face widening.

_Dear Felicity,_

_We've been through a lot in our short time together. We've laughed and we've cried, we've yelled at each other and consoled each other. We've been to hell and back together. I don't know what I did to deserve having a woman like you in my life, but I do know that I'll do everything in my power to keep you there. You're not just my partner, you're my friend. My best friend. I hope it stays that way for a long time to come._

_Please take this small gift not only as a birthday present, but as token of my appreciation for everything that you've done for me, and everything that you continue to do for me._

_Happy birthday and best wishes,_

_Oliver_

When she finally looked up, Felicity found him standing there in front of her desk, a grin spreading out across his face and touching the corners of his eyes. It was warm and genuine and the butterflies suddenly returned, flapping about madly as she stared at him with a watery gaze.

"Open it," Oliver urged, glancing down at the box on her desk.

Felicity was all too eager to rip through the paper. When she tore it off the top of the package and saw the name Christian Louboutin on the brown box beneath, her heart nearly stopped. Opening the lid, she discovered the shoes she'd been pining over for the last week. The black Bianca patent leather platform pumps sat in their tissue paper just begging to be worn. She took one out of the box and held it in her hands.

"Oliver…" she breathed, gazing up at him with searching eyes. "How did you…?"

He leaned in close until his lips were just barely pressed to Felicity's ear and whispered, "You're not the only one who knows how to go through someone's browser history."

She gave him a playful slap on the chest as she giggled, then kicked off her other heels to put on the new ones. Oliver offered up his arm for support, which she gladly took while slipping on the first heel. It fit just right. Felicity was amazed that he'd not only gotten the right shoe style, but her size as well. The other heel was slightly trickier. Digging her fingers into his forearm, she did a delicate balancing act on her other foot as she slipped the second heel on without bending over.

In the end, they added an extra inch to her height compared to the other heels she'd been wearing. And they looked amazing to boot. Her legs seemed even longer now as she stared down at her feet. The smile that graced her face was one of contentment and bliss. "Thank you," Felicity said as she turned to Oliver.

"You're welcome," he replied, grinning at her brightly. "But there's one more thing."

She cocked her head to the side and gave him a confused look. Felicity watched as he reached inside the shoebox. Underneath all that tissue was a smaller box, also wrapped in the same paper. Oliver handed it to her and she tore through it quickly. It was a jewelry box, and she was hesitant to open it.

Taking it from her hands, Oliver did the honors. Her eyes went wide when she saw what was inside. A three carat black opal pendant hung from a silver chain. As he pulled it out, the light streaming in from the windows made its vivid blue, green and purple colors dance. Felicity gasped as it was placed around her neck and clasped into place.

"Oliver… This is… I can't…" she stuttered, unable to find the words as she slipped her fingers beneath the stone and just watched it catch light. It was so mesmerizing that she didn't notice when he reached over to pull an earring out of her ear until his fingers brushed her skin. Felicity nearly jumped, but he caught her elbow to steady her.

"Not done," Oliver said, showing her the matching set of earrings that came with the necklace. Her breath caught in her chest as he clipped them into place, his fingers making quick work as if he'd done this far too many times in the past. The question must have shown in her eyes and he answered, "I used to do this for Thea when she was younger. Nothing new."

He stepped back then and inspected his work by pushing her hair behind her ear. His smile grew wider and she couldn't help but smiling along with him even as the butterflies in her stomach threatened to revolt. "So… how do I look?" Felicity hesitantly asked.

His eyes surveyed her from head to toe, and for a moment she felt slightly self conscious. Sucking her bottom lip between her teeth, Felicity waited nervously for the verdict. "Stunning," Oliver finally said as his eyes shone bright. "Best birthday gift ever?"

She thought for a moment then replied, "No." His face fell and she leaned in close so only he could hear her. "That was last night," Felicity whispered with a wink.

She reached out and took his hands, giving them a gentle squeeze as he stared at her in shock and awe. He looked so adorable at that moment, she almost, _almost _leaned in and kissed him. But she refrained. Instead, her lips headed for his cheek, brushing against it softly before she murmured, "Thank you for being my friend… My best friend."

His arms were suddenly wrapped around her shoulders, pulling her into his chest as he held her tight. Sighing, Felicity melted into him almost immediately. Sometime between last night and this morning she realized hugging Oliver brought her greater joy than anything else ever had. She stepped closer so they weren't awkwardly leaning and let her arms fall around his waist.

If it hadn't been for the throat clearing behind them, she probably never would have let go. Glancing over Oliver's shoulder as she pulled herself away from the warmth of his embrace, Felicity spotted Diggle standing by the door. "Mr. Queen, your nine-thirty appointment is on his way up."

Oliver gave him a curt nod before stepped away from her, but his hand reached out to take hold of hers and gave it a light squeeze. "Birthday dinner, tonight, Table Salt. I already made the reservations," he said. "You, me, Dig and Lyla."

"You're just full of birthday surprises, aren't you?" Felicity replied, her head cocked to the side once more. "Still trying to make up for last night?"

"Maybe just a little," Oliver said before giving her a wink and heading to his office.

Yep, those butterflies in her stomach were about to burst forth and start flying around the room. Even though her birthday was yesterday, Felicity couldn't help but smile right then. She and Oliver might have gotten off on the wrong foot last night, but he was making up for it in spades today. She really couldn't ask for a better friend than him. He might have a tough exterior, but she knew beneath all those scars there was a kind and gentle soul, one she was falling for all too quick.


End file.
